Okay, so I decided to try making half a loaf of bread today. I’ve been seeing these small-batch recipes pop up, and since I’m just one person, a whole loaf often goes stale before I can finish it. So, mini-loaf it is!
First, I gathered my ingredients. I used a basic white bread recipe and just halved everything. Seems simple enough, right? I used:
- Flour
- Water (warm, not hot!)
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- A little bit of oil
I started by proofing the yeast. You know, the usual – warm water, a pinch of sugar, and the yeast. I let that sit for about 5-10 minutes until it got all foamy and bubbly. That’s how you know the yeast is alive and kicking, ready to do its thing.
Then, I mixed the dry ingredients in a bowl – flour and salt. Once the yeast was ready, I poured it into the dry stuff along with the oil. I stirred everything together, and it started to form a shaggy dough.
Next, the kneading! I dumped the dough onto a lightly floured surface and kneaded it for a good 8-10 minutes. It started out a bit sticky, but as I worked it, it became smoother and more elastic. This is the part that always makes me feel like a real baker, even if I’m just making a tiny loaf.
Once the dough was nice and smooth, I formed it into a ball and placed it in a greased bowl. I covered it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour. It doubled in size, which was pretty satisfying to see.
After the first rise, I punched down the dough. Don’t be shy – give it a good punch! This releases the air bubbles. Then, I shaped the dough into a small loaf and placed it in a mini loaf pan. Yep, I actually bought a mini loaf pan just for this experiment.
I covered it again and let it rise for another 30 minutes or so, while the oven preheated at 375°F (190°C) .
Finally, baking time! I popped the loaf pan into the oven and baked it for around 25 minutes. I checked it a few times, and when it was golden brown and sounded hollow when tapped, I knew it was done.
I took it out of the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool completely before slicing, but trust me, it’s worth it. Warm bread is amazing, but it’s also much easier to slice when it’s cooled down.
And that how I made and got my half loaf bread!.
